This is a collection of news about border issues, particularly those seen from Arizona and regarding the right to keep and bear arms. Sources often include Mexican media. It's often interesting to see how different the view is from the south.
If you have comments or questions drop a line to (the name of this blog)(a)knoxcomm.com

Saturday, October 1, 2011

AZMEX UPDATE 30-9-11

AZMEX UPDATE 30 SEP 2011

Note: Just a few miles from where Agent Terry was shot. Evidently the border is still more secure than ever.

A Mexican man told authorities this week that he was shot in the face after being confronted by a group of armed men southeast of Patagonia two months ago.On Sept. 25 at approximately 12:05 p.m., Border Patrol notified the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office of an illegal border-crosser being held at the Sonoita Station who reported being robbed two months earlier.

Joel Kosteritzky-Mendoza, 23, of Cananea, Sonora allegedly told deputies he was transporting marijuana with 14 other people through Cacahuate Canyon, located near Saddle Canyon south of Harshaw Creek, when the group encountered six armed men wearing camouflage clothing and masks."Upon seeing these armed individuals the group ran and the assailants opened fire striking Mr. Kosteritzky-Mendoza in the face," said Sheriff's Office Lt. Raul Rodriguez, referring to the deputies' report.Kosteritzky-Mendoza told deputies he eventually made it back to Mexico, where he was taken to a doctor and received medical attention."The victim indicated that he could not identify any of the suspects and assured law enforcement that he was the only person shot because he confirmed that all the others in his group returned to Mexico safely," Rodriguez said. "Mr. Kosteritzky-Mendoza did not want to pursue the matter, he only wanted authorities to know of the incident."The sheriff's office called Kosteritzky-Mendoza a "known drug trafficker" who claimed to have brought marijuana through the same route several times. He was reportedly carrying 40 pounds of marijuana at the time of his latest arrest.

Note: saw the video, his demeanor was very calm, fatalistic? Giving names, etc. Check out uniforms, gear of the NCJ guys.

The New Juárez Cartel has emerged in a video showing paramilitary gunmen interrogating a Juárez prison guard claiming he and other guards worked for the rival Sinaloa drug cartel. (Courtesy YouTube)

The New Juárez Cartel has emerged in a video showing paramilitary gunmen interrogating a Juárez prison guard claiming he and other guards worked for the rival Sinaloa drug cartel.This video is the latest public exhibition of the so-called New Juárez Cartel, which is reportedly an offshoot of the Juárez cartel's La Linea organization and allied with reputed kingpin Vicente Carrillo Fuentes.Both in the video and banners recently unveiled in Juárez, the New Juárez Cartel makes threats against reputed Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquin "Chapo" Guzman and his lieutenants in Chihuahua.Since 2008, more than 8,500 people have been killed in Juá rez in a war between the Juárez and Sinaloa cartels.Mexican federal police reportedly told Chihuahua news outlets that initial intelligence suggests the new cartel was formed by old allies of the Carrillo Fuentes brothers and the group is actively recruiting young men.Borrowing a page from cartels that claim to protect society, the New Juárez Cartel has reportedly vowed to protect Juárenses from kidnappings for ransom, robberies, extortion and the killings of innocent people.A U.S. law-enforcement official said it was too early to tell if the New Juárez Cartel was a new group or an existing organization with a new name.The cartel video shows a man identifying himself as Concepcion Marquez Aguilar, a prison guard at the former Chihuahua state prison in Juárez that earlier this year was converted to a federal correctional facility.On Sunday, Marquez was found shot to death off a highway south of Juárez, said Carlos Gonzalez, a spokesman for the state prosecutor's office in Chihuahua City. Gonzalez said there had been no reports regarding Marquez's disappearance and it is believed he was surprised by his killers going home from work.In the six-minute video posted Monday on YouTube, Marquez casually answers questions while seated in a chair surrounded by a dozen gunmen wearing SWAT-style tactical uniforms with helmets, masks and vests stating "NCJ" for Nuevo Cartel de Juárez.In the video, a man off camera questions Marquez about prison staff working for the Sinaloa cartel.Marquez claims 15 to 20 guards are ex-military members from out of state who work for a prison supervisor named "Benjamin El Guasón" or "Benjamin the Joker." According to Marquez, "Benjamin El Guasón" takes orders from the Sinaloa cartel and is backed by the Artistas Asesinos and Mexicles gangs.The guards "work in there (the prison) and in the afternoons they go out to kill," said Marquez, who had bruises on his face."They go out to kill at night?" the interrogator asked forcefully."Yes," Marquez answered.The video does not depict any violence but stated "this will happen to all guards who support" Sinaloa cartel leaders. Similar threats were made on banners recently found in Juá rez.Claims made on the video could not be verified. Mexican drug cartels regularly use the Internet to issue threats and boast in a type of narco propaganda.Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com; 546-6102.Times reporter Marisela Ortega Lozano contributed to this story.